Nicola Tyson is a British painter renowned for her distinctive approach to figuration and her exploration of identity, gender, and sexuality through her art. Born in London in 1960, Tyson's journey into the art world began with her education at some of the most prestigious art institutions in the United Kingdom. She attended Chelsea School of Art, St. Martins School of Art, and Central St. Martins School of Art in London, where she honed her skills and developed her unique artistic voice. Tyson's work is often described as "psycho-figuration," a term she uses to encapsulate her exploration of the psychological underpinnings of the human form. Her figures are frequently distorted, with misshapen bodies and unexpected proportions that challenge traditional representations of the human figure. This distinctive style has drawn comparisons to postwar British Expressionism and artists such as Francis Bacon and Hans Bellmer. Throughout her career, Tyson has worked across various media, including sculpture, photography, film, performance, and the written word. However, she is best known for her figurative paintings, which have been exhibited widely and are included in major collections around the world. Her work can be found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Whitney Museum of Art, New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; UCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C.; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; and Tate Modern, London. In addition to her painting, Tyson has made significant contributions to the art world through her photography and writing. Her archive of color photos, "Bowie Nights at Billy’s Club," documents the London club scene of the late 1970s and captures the early genesis of the New Romantic movement. These photographs were exhibited in New York and London in 2012 and 2013, providing a unique autobiographical and social record of the time. Tyson's literary work includes the publication of "Dead Letter Men" in 2011, a collection of satirical letters addressed to famous male artists such as Francis Bacon, Édouard Manet, and Pablo Picasso. Through these letters, Tyson intertwines autobiographical anecdotes, sexual politics, and art history, offering a critique of the male-dominated narrative of art history and asserting her own place within it. Her exhibitions have been diverse and impactful, with solo shows at prominent galleries such as Petzel Gallery in New York, Sadie Coles HQ in London, The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, The Drawing Room in London, and Nathalia Obadia in Paris. Tyson's work has also been featured in group exhibitions at institutions like White Cube in Paris, Nino Mier Gallery in Los Angeles, The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Capitain Petzel in Berlin, Art Institute of Chicago, The Drawing Center in New York, and Whitechapel Gallery in London. Tyson's approach to art is deeply intuitive, often beginning her works as drawings and allowing the meaning to emerge through the act of creation. Her self-portraits, easily identifiable by her signature red hair, delve into the concept of self and identity. Tyson's art is a continuous exploration of the self, both as an individual and as an artist, and her works often reflect a gender-fluidity that is characteristic of her oeuvre. Throughout her career, Tyson has been recognized for her contributions to the feminist discourse in art. In the early 1990s, she co-founded Trial Balloon, an artist-run, women-only exhibition space in New York, which played a significant role in launching the careers of queer female artists, including Nicole Eisenman and Lutz Bacher. Nicola Tyson's art is a testament to her ability to blend the personal with the political, the humorous with the serious, and the abstract with the figurative. Her work continues to challenge and inspire, offering a unique perspective on the human condition and the complexities of identity.

Nicola Tyson Quotes and Sales of Works

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